1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to sea anchors which stabilize boats floating in water and, more particularly, to a unique apparatus for the deployment and storage of such sea anchors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sea anchors are used to control the motion of boats and are well known in the art. See, for example, United States Letters Patent No. 4,632,051 the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The sea anchor is a parachute type device which expands to assume a somewhat mushroom shape when deployed in the water. The sea anchor is attached to the boat by an elongated rope which is tied to any secure member in the stern of the boat.
As the boat moves through the water it pulls the rope and sea anchor behind it. Such movement causes some of the water to become entrapped within the mushroom shaped interior of the sea anchor. The water, in turn, exerts a force on the interior surface of the sea anchor in a direction opposite that which the boat and attached sea anchor are moving. This force, in turn, is applied throuqh the rope to the boat thereby slowing its motion through the water.
The sea anchor, frequently, has one or more openings formed in its surface to allow some water flow therethrough. The size of such openings is determined by the desired speed which the boat is to travel through the water since a larger opening will allow the boat to move faster than a smaller opening. The sea anchor is pulled out of the water and placed in the interior of the boat when it is no longer desired that the boat be slowed.
A major problem exists with respect to the removal of the sea anchor from the water. When the sea anchor is deployed in the water, a force, large enough to oppose the motion of the boat, is imposed on interior surface of the the sea anchor and the rope which connects the sea anchor to the boat. That force must be overcome when drawing the rope and the sea anchor toward the boat. This problem is especially significant if manual force must be employed to draw in the sea anchor.
A second major problem exists once the sea anchor is drawn into the boat. Excess water clinging to the sea anchor will drain onto the floor of the boat creating a slipping hazard Further the bulky sea anchor itself will create a tripping or slipping hazard if placed on the floor of the boat. The present invention overcomes all of these problems.